1988 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands

This is one of the rarest and most desirable of the Capris, as one of those 1,038 run-out 280 models.

It's also one of the last of its kind ever to be registered. Production of the Capri ended almost 18 months before this car turned its wheels on the UK roads, and it's one of extremely few cars to bear an E-prefix registration; it actually merited press coverage at the time!

The car has spent its entire life in the north-east of England, mainly around Newcastle and Durham, but after racking up 124,000 miles in its first 15 years on the road it has been under a SORN declaration and in storage across two different owners ever since.

Originally bought by its current, fourth owner in 2010 as a restoration project, the car is up for sale in a “barn find” condition to be brought back to glory by a new owner.

Every Capri 280 was finished in Brooklands Green Metallic paint – giving it the “Brooklands” nickname – with white and red styling lines bearing the “Capri 280” logo, and those classic, 15-inch, seven-spoke wheels.

That's all still present and correct on this car, but it's going to need some work to get back to its best. As even the most ardent Capri fan will concede, they almost rot just for the fun of it, and this car bears plenty of evidence of that reputation.

It's fair to say that just about every common trouble spot – front wings, rear wheel arches, bumpers and sills, the bonnet's leading edge, the rain channels – exhibits some damage, bubbling, or holes.

The worst of it looks to be the nearside front wing, around the headlight, along with some patches on the front and rear valance. There's also areas of the bonnet and door shuts that will need some attention, along with a hole in the windscreen surround on the nearside and some larger patches around the offside rear window.

Much of the body itself though, including the roof, bonnet, boot lid, doors, and the rear structure looks to have held up well, and the sunroof is in good condition. It's difficult to say if there's much paint fading or damage, as the car is covered in a layer of dust from its prolonged storage.

That goes for the glass too, but it does look to be intact and – judging by the classic window etching – original. We can't spot any issues with the lighting either, though the black bumper which houses the front indicators is on the bubbly side too.

All five wheels – including the spare – are intact, with some kerbing in evidence on the rims but no damage to the faces other than fading of the Ford logo on the lockable centre caps. Only one wheel, the offside front, has an original Pirelli Cinturato P7, with the rest sporting mis-matched rubber in the correct sizes.

It's a classic sporty Ford interior, with the Capri 280 boasting a four-seat layout with leather Recaro seats and contrasting red piping.

For the most part this has done very well considering the age and mileage. As you'd expect, the most obvious wear is on the driver's seat bolsters, but it is only wear and there's no obvious holes or damage. The front passenger seat also shows some similar wear on the left bolster.

The two rear seats are in generally very good condition, with the exception of some serious scoring on the top of the offside rear seat – as if something long has been placed in the boot at some point, resting on top of the seat, and causing damage. All the controls for the four pews work as you'd expect.

Both rear seats fold flat – with a 50:50 split – to open up that long load space, which generally seems to be clean and undamaged bar a patch of staining at the bottom of the nearside rear seat. The parcel shelf is also in pretty robust health, although there's a mild sag in the middle and some damage to the support underneath which is probably the culprit here.

For the most part the carpets are in good condition, with some evidence of staining behind the driver's seat. There's also some general detritus and that layer of grime on top of the interior surfaces that prevents a more thorough examination, but even despite the current lack of floor mats it's not looking bad.

That extends to the carpeting on the door cards, which do show a little evidence of staining, as you'd expect from being a de facto foot rest, but there's no damage to the leather surfaces and the handles – including window winders – all work.

The skates are not included in the sale. While we weren't able to test out the cabin controls, everything is still in original specification in here, even the ESRT 32 PS radio/cassette head unit, and all remains clearly labelled.

All 280 models were based on the Capri's best, although not biggest, engine: the fuel-injected 2.8-litre V6 Cologne. Ford didn't make any changes to the engine for the 280, so it produces the same 158hp as other 2.8 Injection models.

It's more of a torque-beast, with 162lbft, than something that needs thrashing to hit its claimed figures of just under eight seconds to 60mph, and a 127mph top speed. That's still enough to keep up with modern traffic, although with a fuel economy beginning with a 2 it might be taking a few more trips to the pumps.

However it's pretty tricky to assess the general mechanical condition of the car as it has, in effect, not turned its wheels in anger since 2002. The current owner states that it does turn over, but we can't say if it fires up or how it runs when it does.

That goes for the rest of the greasy bits too. As it stands, the car is moved about on wheel dollies, so how the suspension – leaf-sprung, of course – brakes, or five-speed manual gearbox operate is not possible to determine. Notably the 280 has a limited slip differential too.

Given the “barn find” condition of the vehicle it's safe to say it will require some recommissioning work in mechanical terms.

Although the body is a little crisp round the edges, the underside and – crucially – floorpan and chassis of the Capri doesn't look to have suffered too much. There's definitely surface patina on a lot of the items underneath and some flaking on the sills, but it all looks relatively intact, even the twin exhausts.

There's a box file supplied with the car that comes with a selection of its unusual history.

It was first registered in May 1988 – 18 months after Capri production ended – and the sale itself was noteworthy enough to merit an article, with clippings supplied, in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle and Newcastle Advertiser newspapers as “probably the very last Ford Capri in the UK”.

A selection of hand-written notes and invoices show it passed into the hands of two further owners, also located in the north-east, in 1992 and 2000, with MOT certificates documenting some very healthy usage up to 124,000 miles by early 2002.

At that point the car was taken off the road and placed into storage for reasons unknown until the current owner bought it in 2010 – intended as a restoration project (one of many, hence the sale!).

As it has remained stored ever since, the most recent history is the vehicle registration document showing the change of owner in July 2010.

The Capri 280 is, quite literally, the ultimate Capri and they go for significant sums when they do, rarely, come up for sale. This car then would make a stunning project for someone with the time and dedication to restore it to its former glory, particularly as it's one of the very last examples of the car ever sold.

We estimate this car will reach anywhere between £8,000 - £12,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Darlington, County Durham. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.